Meet Monique Whitley Phillip

We recently connected with Monique Whitley Phillip and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Monique with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

I come from a long line of hard workers. Growing up, I would see my mom come home from a long day’s work, cook, help me with homework, do my hair to be ready for school the next day and make sure I took a bath before quietly going into the bathroom to have a few minutes to herself. I loved going to work with her, because it made me feel important. I think a lot of that feeling came from the fact that she was so well-respected and liked at her job, and some of that rubbed off on me as her daughter. I also watched her do yard work, plan family events, sit at the kitchen table to budget and pay bills, and just be a master problem-solver. My aunts and grandparents on both sides were also very tenacious and provided tremendous examples of hard work. In addition to that, they all love God, who serves as a moral and ethical compass. I was taught that integrity and taking care of the responsibility entrusted to me was a way of honoring God in whatever I’m doing. That is based on Colossians 3:23 that says, “Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men.”

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Trauma Specialist, Clinical Supervisor, and owner of a group mental health practice. I have worked as a part of the healthcare industry for 27 years and in behavioral healthcare specifically for over 15 years. I started out as a Mentor supporting underprivileged teen girls in being successful at school, and then became a Life Skills and Academic Advisor at a residential facility in Texas working with young adult women. When I reflect through a lot of the experiences that I had in my own upbringing and the hardships I have observed with the women in my family, I felt very drawn to supporting the healing of women with similar experiences, so that they could re-establish a sense of stability and identity.

Jars of Clay, A Sanctuary is my telemental health practice for women who feel lost, are in unhealthy co-dependent relationships, and who feel overburdened to the point of neglecting themselves because of the trauma they have experienced. In some way or another, I have related to each one of my clients. Although, I wouldn’t want a repeat of any of my own traumatizing experiences, from a healed standpoint, they have made me a powerful and fulfilled therapist. One of the focuses of my practice is to make quality mental healthcare accessible to groups of people who need it most. Over 65% of our clients are accessing care through Medicaid. We are also always looking for ways to partner with community organizations that are not able to provide clinical services to their program participants.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

One of the biggest areas of knowledge that helps me do what I do is my faith. It acts as anchor for my beliefs, thought processes, motivation and social interaction. I don’t think I could function with that compass. I spend a tremendous amount of time in prayer, singing, reading my Bible and devotionals, processing through writing, and listening to message that align with my Christianity.

I also tend to be very organized. This is something I think I was probably shamed into as a kid with ADHD traits, but it has been very beneficial in helping me to keep things in order and create mechanisms of accountability. My calendar is always in weekly view, so I can clearly see everything I need to do for the week. It allows me to be flexible in moving things according to my capacity, and helps me to keep on top of priorities. This has been much better than ‘to do’ lists for me, because I know everything has a designated time. I am also the sticky note queen and love to set alerts for myself, so that I’m not trying to remember every single thing.

Another quality that is natural for me is empathy. My own struggles have caused me to make valuing people into a business. I look people in the eye, am intentional with my words, am mindful of being compassionate, will go out of my way to help, and give honest feedback when asked.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

Without a doubt, 100%, my Bible is the number one most influential and impactful book I have ever read. I ready it daily. It is comforting, motivating, truth-telling (whether I like it or not), full of hope, relatable, and guiding. When I think about the amount of anxiety in the world, I have reflected that most, if not all is due to an independence from God in one way or another. The Bible talks about “laboring” to enter into rest. It sounds so strange, but when it comes down to it, when we actively seek a relationship with God, He creates more capacity, arranges our circumstances to make us successful, and draws out things in us that we never knew were there in the first place. That reliance is the most powerful thing on earth.

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